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Seniors decorated their cars and drove by family, friends and teachers cheering them on.

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Updated: 5:58 PM CDT May 17, 2020

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CELEBRATED TOGETHER ENDING A YEAR THEY WILL NEVER FORGET. CLASSMATES REUNITING BEFORE SAYING GOODBYE. BLUE VALLEY SOUTHWEST SENIORS DECORATED THEIR CARS OR A SENIOR SENDOFF PARADE. >> WE WERE NOT ABLE TO DO OTHER THINGS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO. WE WERE ABLE TO DECORATE THE CAR. EMILY: IT WAS NOT THE WAY THEY WANTED THEIR SENIOR YEAR TO END. >> WE WERE ON SPRING BREAK TOGETHER. WE BAWLED OUR EYES OUT. >> WE MISSED OUT ON PROM, GRADUATION. EMILY: BUT THEIR SPIRITS WERE LIFTED AS THEY DROVE BY FRIENDS AND FAMILY CHEERING THEM ON. >> WE NEEDED SOMETHING FINAL TO SEE EVERYONE AND SEE HOW EVERYONE IS DOING. IT IS SOMETHING FOR US. EMIL PARENTS HAVE BEEN ALONG FOR THE RIDE. >> THAT THEY HAVE TAKEN IT IN STRIDE. THEY WANT TO CELEBRATE WHAT THEY HAVE ACCOMPLISHED AND LOOK FORWARD TO THEIR NEXT JOURNEY. EMIL THEY KNOW THE PANDEMIC HAS TAUGHT THESE SENIORS AN IMPORTANT LESSON THAT THEY WILL NOT FIND IN TEXTBOOKS. >> LIFE WILL THROW THINGS AT YOU. TACKLE THOSE CHALLENGES. EMILY: THE PARADE STARTED AT GRACE CHURCH. BLUE VALLEY SOUTHWEST IS PLANNING A DELAYED GRADUATION CEREMONY AT THE END OF JULY. >> ROCK CHALK. EMILY: IT WAS A STAR-STUD

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Blue Valley Southwest seniors celebrate with sendoff parade

Seniors decorated their cars and drove by family, friends and teachers cheering them on.

Seniors at Blue Valley Southwest got a special sendoff Sunday, with a drive-by parade. KMBC 9 was there as classmates celebrated together, ending a year they'll never forget.Seniors reunited with their classmates for the parade that started at Grace Church at West 159th and Antioch Sunday morning. “We weren't able to do other things that we would've liked to, so we're able to decorate the car and have some fun with it,” said BVSW senior Danielle Illum. It wasn't the way she and her friends wanted their senior year to end. “We were all on spring break together and honestly, we all just kind of sat in one room together and just bawled our eyes out,” said senior Gracie Rodlund.“We missed out on prom, class day, graduation and all those final senior events,” added senior Alexis Bonder.Their spirits were lifted though, as they drove by friends and family cheering them on. “We just needed… something, like, final to see everyone and see how everyone's doing,” said senior Jenna Brewster. “It's just something for us.” Parents have been along for the ride. “They've taken it all in stride,” said Kelley Rast, who helped plan the parade for her son’s graduating class. “They just want to celebrate what they've accomplished and look forward to their next journey.”She knows the pandemic has taught seniors an important lesson they won't find in textbooks. “Life is always gonna throw things at you,” said Rast, “it’s how you handle it with a positive attitude moving forward, and just tackle those challenges. That's life.”Blue Valley Southwest is planning a delayed graduation ceremony at the end of July.

Seniors at Blue Valley Southwest got a special sendoff Sunday, with a drive-by parade. KMBC 9 was there as classmates celebrated together, ending a year they'll never forget.

Seniors reunited with their classmates for the parade that started at Grace Church at West 159th and Antioch Sunday morning. “We weren't able to do other things that we would've liked to, so we're able to decorate the car and have some fun with it,” said BVSW senior Danielle Illum.

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It wasn't the way she and her friends wanted their senior year to end. “We were all on spring break together and honestly, we all just kind of sat in one room together and just bawled our eyes out,” said senior Gracie Rodlund.

“We missed out on prom, class day, graduation and all those final senior events,” added senior Alexis Bonder.

Their spirits were lifted though, as they drove by friends and family cheering them on. “We just needed… something, like, final to see everyone and see how everyone's doing,” said senior Jenna Brewster. “It's just something for us.”

Parents have been along for the ride. “They've taken it all in stride,” said Kelley Rast, who helped plan the parade for her son’s graduating class. “They just want to celebrate what they've accomplished and look forward to their next journey.”

She knows the pandemic has taught seniors an important lesson they won't find in textbooks. “Life is always gonna throw things at you,” said Rast, “it’s how you handle it with a positive attitude moving forward, and just tackle those challenges. That's life.”

Blue Valley Southwest is planning a delayed graduation ceremony at the end of July.